[106064] Cabinet Secretary warns: Compulsory conscription legislation could radicalize the Haredi public

Tension surrounding the conscription law: Fear of a reversal of the trend and radicalization in the Haredi sector

In a hearing held today (30.06.2026) at the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs addressed the public and legal controversy surrounding the new conscription law. Fuchs emphasized the government's fear of damaging the achievements recorded so far in this area.

In a report by Dafna Liel, a journalist identified with pro-government stances, Fuchs was quoted expressing palpable concern: "We fear a reversal of the trend," this in response to claims that the new law could damage the Haredi recruitment process, which according to the report is on an upward trend.

Conversely, on the Hershkowitz & Grobeis channel - The Haredi Perspective, which represents a line identified with the Haredi sector, the Cabinet Secretary was quoted as warning against far-reaching social consequences. Fuchs argued during the hearing that "If this conscription event is done through coercion, the entire Haredi public will become the Jerusalem Faction", and added with frustration that "unfortunately, my prophecy has fulfilled itself."

Fuchs' remarks reflect the complex dilemma facing the government, which is trying on one hand to promote the conscription of Haredim into the IDF and on the other hand to avoid a social and political flare-up within the Haredi sector, which could, in his words, lead to the radicalization of the entire public.